Erik Boal
With the graduation of one of the most talented senior classes in
recent years, some might wonder where the next great crop of girls'
volleyball players will come from entering the upcoming fall season.
Judging by their results at the recently completed USA Junior
Olympic Championships in Atlanta, the answer to that question is the
San Gabriel Volleyball Club.
SGVC's 17 Roshambo squad -- featuring Brittany Esser (Flintridge
Sacred Heart), Lindsay Fletcher (Flintridge Prep), Kelly Smiland
(Flintridge Sacred Heart), Courtney Turner (La Canada), Ashley
Williams (Village Christian) and Caitlin Withers (Flintridge Sacred
Heart) -- finished in a tie for 11th out of 64 teams in the 17 club
division, and the 18 Roshambo team, which includes La Canada's Kasey
Hurlbutt and Suzanne Swenson, placed in a four-way tie for 21st out
of 64 teams.
SGVC's 17 Roshambo team -- coached by Kenji Mukai -- dropped a
tough three-game decision to the Asics Munciana Huskies, 29-27,
18-25, 15-8, in Wednesday's Silver Bracket semifinals to end its
four-day run with a 7-4 match record, 15-13 in games.
SGVC -- which finished 35th in the 16 club division last year --
advanced to the semifinals with a 26-24, 28-26 victory against Fresno
Asics 17 Black. Mukai's squad posted an 18-25, 26-24, 15-11 victory
in Tuesday's pool-play competition against eventual third-place
finisher, Golden Bear 17 Roshambo, and pushed the eventual runner-up,
TVC 17 Cromer, before losing, 25-18, 27-25.
The 18 Roshambo team -- which also features Crescenta Valley
graduate Kristen Cameron and Flintridge Sacred Heart graduate Kathryn
Gorsch -- lost to Mizuno Sports Performance 18 Red in the opening
round of Wednesday's Bronze Bracket playoffs, 25-16, 25-14.
It marked the second time in the tournament that SGVC -- which
finished with a 5-4 match record and 13-10 in games -- lost to
Mizuno, dropping a 25-12, 23-25, 16-14 decision in Sunday's pool-play
competition.
Still, the team's showing was an improvement from last year's
29th-place effort in the 17s.
